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Ethiopia III Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

"Return to Ethiopia" Trip

September 22 - October 7, 2012

50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps in Ethiopia

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September 25 - Tuesday Meeting with the Ethiopian President   (Important note: All photographs, except where mentioned,  are copyrighted as of October 8, 2012, by Darrel and Betty Hagberg. Please request permission to use and please credit them).   The National Palace in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is also known as the Jubilee Palace. The palace was built in 1955 to mark emperor Haile Selassie's Silver Jubilee. After a coup attempt in the Guenete Leul Palace in 1960, the emperor made the Jubilee Palace his main residence. Although the seat of government remained at the Imperial Palace. The palace was expanded and doubled in size between 1966 and 1967. The Jubilee Palace was the site of the dethronement of Emperor Haile Selassie in September 1974. 10 low ranking military officers appeared before the Emperor in the palace library and read him the statement of the Derg, which officially removed him from the throne. The Derg (the Committee) renamed the Palace the "National Palace", which it still bears today. The Derg used this Palace for state ceremonies involving visiting heads of state, state banquets and receptions. The Derg added a swimming pool to the grounds. With the fall of the Derg, and the proclamation of the Federal Republic, the Jubilee Palace became the official residence of the President of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia. The president has a ceremonial role and uses the palace for official functions. The Ethiopian Government announced its intention to build a new official presidential residence. The National Palace will then be opened as a museum. It will continue to house the President of the Republic until that time. In the morning of September 25, 2012, RPCV's on the "Return to Ethiopia"  trip (known in the Ethiopian Foreign  Ministry as "The One Hundred') were invited to a meeting with the Ethiopian President, Girma Wolde-Giorgis.   After a brief welcome from Ethiopian President Girma Wolde-Giorgis,  the RPCV's were invited to ask questions. The President said that most pressing problem facing Ethiopia today is poverty. On October 8, the President met with Ethiopian legislators from both houses  to open the new parliamentary year – its first in more than two decades without late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died August 20. In his speech, he outlined government priorities for the coming 12 months. Noting that Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world at 9 percent GDP, the president warned that its double-digit inflation is having a severe impact on the lives of average people. Gima said the government's current economic policies are having a positive effect. "Government has strictly followed its decision to limit the amount of money circulating in the economy and to not borrow to cover its budget deficit," said Girma, adding that government’s goal should be to lower the inflation rate to a single-digit number this year. President Girma referred to the late Prime Minister Meles many times, pledging to continue his policies and highlighting his successes. "We are starting this session of our two houses of parliament with the successful completion of a fully democratic transition of power," he said. "This has been possible because of the system of the late Prime Minister Meles." On the following day, the Ethiopian parliament debated  the plans for the coming year with the new Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn. The ruling coalition EPRDF currently holds all but one seat in parliament.     "The One-Hundred" gathered on the front steps of the National Palace (Jubilee Palace) for a group photo with Ambassador Taye of the Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs; Donald Booth, American Ambassador to Ethiopia; Dick Day, Peace Corps Regional Director for Africa; and Gregory Engle, Ethiopia Peace Corps Director. (Photo credits: Ethiopian Foreign Ministry)

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September 22	Ethiopian Embassy Reception
September 23	Dulles Airport
September 24	Addis Ababa Airport Reception
September 24	Addis Ababa City Views
September 24	Hebir Restaurant Dinner Show - Addis Ababa
September 25	Addis Ababa City Views
September 25	Ethiopian President Welcome
September 25	Kotebe College for Teachers - Addis Ababa
September 25	US Embassy Reception
September 26	Ethnological Museum - Addis Ababa
September 26	Saint George Cathedral - Addis Ababa
September 26	Mercato Market Place - Addis Ababa
September 26	Meskel Celebrations - Addis Ababa
September 27	National Museum - Addis Ababa
September 27	Mount Entoto Overlook - Addis Ababa
September 27	Trinity Cathedral - Addis Ababa
September 27	Debre Berhan
September 28	Debre Berhan
September 28	Ankober
September 29	Lalibella and Market
September 29	Yemrehanna Kristos Church, Bilbilla
September 30	Churches of Lalibella
October 01	Stelae Field - Axum
October 01	Tombs of Kaleb and Gebre Meskel - Axum
October 01	The Enzana Stone - Axum
October 01	Queen of Sheba's Palace - Axum
October 01	Monastic Complex of Saint Mary of Zion - Axum
October 02	Mai Shum (Queen of Sheba's Swimming Pool - Axum
October 02	Fasilo Ghebbi (Royal Enclosure) - Gondar
October 02	Debre Birhan Selassie Church - Gondar
October 02	Wolieka (Falasha Village) - Gondar
October 03	Fasilidas's Pool - Gondar
October 03	Barhar Dar
October  04	Blue Nile Falls - Barhar Dar
October  04	Lake Tana - Barhar Dar
October  04	Church of Ura Kidane Mihret - Barhar Dar
October  05	Dire Dawa - Harar
October 06	Red Terror Museum - Addis Ababa
October 06	Babile - Harar - Dire Dawa
October 07	Dire Dawa
October 07	Farewell Dinner at Crown Hotel - Addis Ababa

 

Click below for more Ethiopia Web Site features

Map of Ethiopia and Eritrea (circa 1964)

Ethiopia III Trainees Book

In Country Assignments, 1964-1966

Photo Memories of Ethiopia

Ethiopian Art and Culture

Ethiopia III's Attending the 50th Reunion

Books on Ethiopia

Ethiopian Artifact Exhibition

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Updated on September 24, 2020